Control device with two push buttons for two colours ball point pens



Feb. 23, 1965 F. LEVOIN CONTROL DEVICE WITH TWO PUSH BUTTONS FOR TWO COLOURS BALL POINT PENS 2 Shegts-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1965 R m V m m W E L m W M f HGovT Feb. 23, 1965 F. LEVOIN CONTROL DEVICE WITH TWO PUSH BUTTONS FOR TWO COLOURS BALL POINT PENS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1963 l l MIL INVENTOR.

fgm g/s L e vow in side elevation;

' an opening in a tapering end portion of the barrel.

United States Patent 'Ofiice 3,l70,44l Patented Feb. 23, 1965 3,170,441 CONTROL DEVICE WITH TWO PUSH BUTTONS FOR TWO COLOURS BALL POINT PENS Francis Levoin, 'Breganzona, Lugano, Switzerland,

assignor to Real Patentauswertungs, Anstalt, Vaduz, Liechtenstein Filed Apr. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 274,529 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Mar. 6, 1963,

2,879/63 7 Claims. (Cl. 12042.13)

This invention relates to ball point pens, and more particularly to a pen casing adapted to hold a plurality of ball point cartridges, and to a control mechanism on the casing for selectively moving each cartridge between a writing position and a retracted position.

In its more specific aspects, the invention is concerned with a push button control device on' a ball point pen casing adapted to move one of a plurality of cartridges into the writing position and thereby automatically to retract another cartridge which may have been in the writing position before.

r An object of the invention isrthe provision of such a control device which is simple in its design and operation.

Another object is the provision of a control device composed of parts which are of very simple shapes so that they may be readily produced from plastics or metals by press operations.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a ball point pen equipped with the casing of the invention in front elevational axial section;

FIG. 2 shows an actuating button of the pen of FIG. 1

FIG. 3 shows a divider assembly of the pen in a view corresponding to that of FIG. 2;

. FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate the cooperation of an actuating button of FIG. 1 with the divider assembly of FIG. 3 when the button moves from the inoperative position shown in FIG. 4 through an intermediate position illustrated in FIG. 6 into the operative position seen in FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIG. 1, there are shown two conventional ballpen cartridges h, h which have flexible tubular ink reservoirs and a ball point mounted on an end of the reservoir. The cartridges are arranged in a pen casing with which this invention is more particularly concerned.

The casing has a generally cylindrical main portion b. The ball point of the cartridge h projects axially from The other end of the main portion b isthreadedly connected to a coaxial cap portion i. A portion a is fixed in the open end of the cap i in a diametrical plane.

A divider assembly best seen in FIG. 3 is axially secured between the partition a and a radial end face of the barrelportion b in the casing cavity. The divider assembly consists of three rod portions d, d d and a circular disc portion d The four integral divider assemthe divider, the rod portions d, d d and the projections f extend in the plane of the partition, a, as is evident from FIG. 1. The short rod portion d abuts against the partition, and the disc portion d abuts against the bly portions constitute the four sides of an elongated 7 aforementioned radial end face of the barrel portion b.

The divider separates two axially coextensive portions of the casing cavity in the cap portion i. Two actuating buttons 0, c are axially slidable in the respective cavity portions between an inoperative position in which the buttons 0, c are axially slidable in the respective. cavity cavity, and an operativeposition illustrated by the button c.

As shown in FIG. 2, an axially elongated rib j projects from the face of the button 0 opposite the button c, and the latter is provided with a corresponding rib j. The dimensions of the ribs j, j are such that they may move in theframe opening y, r without interfering with each other. Each rib has a shallow V-notch j in its outer face for conforming abutting engagement with the less steeply sloping faces of the locking projections 7, h. The inner end j2'0f each rib is wedged-shaped.

The cartridges h, h are held in respective recesses of the buttons 0, c, and the buttons are urged toward their inoperative positions by helical compression springs e, e which abut against the disc portion d of the divider assembly and against radial faces of the buttons. The cartridges h, h are guided in their movement between the writing positionillustrated by the cartridge [1' and the retracted position illustrated by the cartridge h in conforming openings of the disc portion d The operation of the afore-described apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. In the position of the pen illustrated-in FIG. 1, the actuating button 0 of the reacted cartridge h .is in its inoperative position. As shown in FIG. 4, the rib j of the button 0 is located in the outer portion y of the divider opening. The notched outer face of the rib engages the short rod portion of the divider frame under the urging of the spring e. x The long rod portions d d are in their relaxed condition in which they are arcuately bent toward each other between the short rod portion a and the disc portion d The steeply sloping faces of the locking projections f, h loosely abut against the wedge shaped inner end of the rib j.

The actuating button c of the cartridge h which is in its Writing position is simultaneously in the operative position shown in FIG. 5. The rib j is located in the inner portion r of the frame opening, and the rib is being urged outward by the spring e so that the less steeply sloping faces of the projections 1, f conformingly engage the V-notch in the outer face of the rib j, and axially lock the button 0.

When the button 0, which is accessible from the outside of the casing, is moved axially in the direction of the arrow p, the two .lon'grodrportio ns d d of the divider are pushed apart by the camnring engagement of the inner end of the rib j as shown in FIG. 6 to permit axial passage of the rib under external pressure against the restraint of the spring e. This movement of the projections f away'from'their locking position simultaneously permits the rib j to escape outward from the position illustrated in FIG. 5 under the force of the spring e. When the button 0 is fully depressed into the inoperative position, the locking projections f resiliently return to their locking position. If pressure on. the button c, is relaxed in the position of the button shown in FIG 6, both buttons are moved by their springs into their inoperative positions, and both ball points are retracted.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within 3 5 the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically disclosed. What is claimed is:

1. A casing for a ball point pen comprising, in combination: I i

(a) a barrel having an axis and formed with an axially elongated cavity; (b) a divider member secured in said cavity against axial movement, said divider member extending in an axial plane and dividing an axial section of said cavity into two portions, said divider member including two axially elongated members of resilient material, respective portions of said elongated members being resiliently movable toward and away fromeach other in said plane transversely of said axis; (0) locking means secured on said divider member and projecting therefrom in said plane in a direction transverse of said axis, said locking means being resiliently movable in said plane toward and away from a locking position, said'locking means including two locking members respectively secured on said portions of said elongated members for movement toward and away from each other, said locking members being adjacent each'other when said locking 1 means are in said locking position; 9 (0.) two actuator members axially slidable in respective onesof said portions between respective operative and inoperative positions; I (efengagement means fixedly fastened on .each actuator member for axially abutting engagement with said locking means when said locking means is in.

said locking position thereof;

(f) lock releasing meansfixedly fastened on each actuator member and engageable with said locking means for moving the same in said transverse direction away from said lockingpositionthereof when said actuator member moves from said inoperative toward said operative position thereof; and (g) resilient means permanently urging each actuator member to move from said operativetoward said inoperative position thereof, said engagementmeans axially abutting against said locking meansunder. the V urging of said resilientmeans when said actuator member is in theoperative position thereof and said locking means is in said locking position.

2. A casing as set forth in claim 1, further comprising" abiitment means on said;divider member, said abutment means axially abutting against said engagement means under the urging of said resilient means when said actuator member is in said inoperative position thereof.

3. A casing as set forth in claim 2, wherein said engagementmeans and said lock releasing means are axially spaced from each other on said actuator member, and said locking means and said abutment means are axially spaced from each other on said divider member. 5

4. A casing as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lock releasing means each include a wedge shaped member camrningly engageable with said locking members for moving the same away from each other.

5. In a ball pen, in combination:

(a) a barrel having an axis and formed with an axially elongated cavity; 1 V i (b) a divider assembly secured in said cavity against axial movement, said assembly including (1) a plurality of rod members extending in a common axial plane, said plane dividing an axial section of said cavity into two portions,

(2) two of said rod members being elongated in an axial direction and being spaced from each other in a direction transverse of said axis;

(3) a disc member axially secured in said barrel cavity and integrally fastened to said two rod members, said disc member and saidrod members jointly defining an axiallypelongated frame opening, and 1-.

' (4) a locking member projecting from at least one of said two members into said frame opening in said transverse direction toward the other rod member, said one rod member being of resilient 1 material; a V

(0) two actuator buttons axially slidable in respective ones of saidcavity portions betweenresp'ectiv'e op erative and inoperative positions;

(d) an axially elongated integral rib projecting from each actuator :button into said frame opening for axial movement therein, each rib having (l) a cam face obliquely inclined relative to said directions and engageable with said locking member for resiliently displacing said'locking V member outward of said opening in said transverse direction when said button moves from said inoperative toward said operative position,

1 and I ('2) an abutment face engageable with said locking member for preventing'movement of said button from said operative toward said inoperative position; and V (e) yieldably resilient means permanently urging each button to move from said operative toward said inoperative position. r

6. In a pen asset forth in; claim 5, a third'orie of said rod members being elongated in'said transverse direction and integrally connecting respective portions of said two rod members axially spaced from said disc member, the I abutment faces of said'ribs abutting against said third rod member under the urging of said resilientlmeans when said actuator buttons are in said inoperative positions thereof." '7

'7. In a pen as set forth in claim 6, said disc member I being formed with two openings spaced in said transversedirection; and a cartridge member secured to each of said buttons and slidably received in a respectiveopening-of said disc member for axial movement with the respective button. l 5

References Cited by the Examiner V .UNITED STATES PATENTS JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

, LAWRENCE CHARLES, Examiner. 

1. A CASING FOR A BALL POINT PEN COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A BARREL HAVING AN AXIS AND FORMED WITH AN AXIALLY ELONGATED CAVITY; (B) A DIVIDER MEMBER SECURED IN SAID CAVITY AGAINST AXIAL MOVEMENT, SAID DIVIDER MEMBER EXTENDING IN AN AXIAL PLANE AND DIVIDING AN AXIAL SECTION OF SAID CAVITY INTO TWO PORTIONS, SAID DIVIDER MEMBER INCLUDING TWO AXIALLY ELONGATED MEMBERS OF RESILIENT MATERIAL, RESPECTIVE PORTIONS OF SAID ELONGATED MEMBERS BEING RESILIENTLY MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER IN SAID PLANE TRANSVERSELY OF SAID AXIS; (C) LOCKING MEANS SECURED ON SAID DIVIDER MEMBER AND PROJECTING THEREFROM IN SAID PLANE IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE OF SAID AXIS, SAID LOCKING MEANS BEING RESILIENTLY MOVABLE IN SAID PLANE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM A LOCKING POSITION, SAID LOCKING MEANS INCLUDING TWO LOCKING MEMBERS RESPECTIVELY SECURED ON SAID PORTIONS OF SAID ELONGATED MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, SAID LOCKING MEMBERS BEING ADJACENT EACH OTHER WHEN SAID LOCKING MEANS ARE IN SAID LOCKING POSITION; (D) TWO ACTUATOR MEMBERS AXIALLY SLIDABLE IN RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID PORTIONS BETWEEN RESPECTIVE OPERATIVE AND INOPERATIVE POSITIONS; (E) ENGAGEMENT MEANS FIXEDLY FASTENED ON EACH ACTUATOR MEMBER FOR AXIALLY ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LOCKING MEANS WHEN SAID LOCKING MEANS IS IN SAID LOCKING POSITION THEREOF; 